Celebrate growth, professional development and the contributions of administrative professionals worldwide says Kathleen Drum
Our cover image for this issue is a colourful tree. Since the first issue of what was then Executive Secretary Magazine back in 2011, we have always included an image of a tree on the cover of the April/May issue. Sometimes abstract, sometimes more realistic, our tree symbolises new beginnings: the start of a new volume of the magazine (14 now!) and the first issue of that volume. Our tree also symbolises the importance of growth – which of course, for us, means growing in learning and professional development.
Our cover article is by Steuart Snooks – “Unveiling the Hidden Workload: How Emails Masquerade as Tasks and Meetings”. Steuart discusses how emails serve as trojan horses for tasks and meetings and gives us some strategies for effectively managing this hidden workload. With the end of the financial year upon us, Richard Collins explains “Navigating Non-Financial Disclosure Reporting” whilst Traci Williams talks us through “Excel Spreadsheets: Budget Management”.Toni Kent shares “How to SPEAK with Confidence!”, Heather Denniston shows us “Micro-Morning Routines to Create a More Joyful Day” and Lucy Brazier gives her top tips for successfully “Organising Your Executive’s Travel”.
We also have articles from Joan Burge, Shelagh Donnelly, Reto Leder, Bonnie Low-Kramen and Kemetia Foley… as well as many other great writers.
This issue also coincides with Administrative Professionals Week (22-26 April), and this year we are giving away a free eBook, AI Unleashed: Leveraging Technology with Responsibility, featuring 10 of our most-read articles around AI and how it impacts the administrative profession. We began featuring articles specifically on the rise of AI as far back as 2019 and will continue to promote discussion around the use of AI, the advantages and disadvantages, and the need for all of us to continue to grow our “human” skills as well as our technical skills. Keep an eye out on social media from 22 April for details on how to claim your copy of our free eBook.
Our Editorial Advisory Board is now complete, with Simone White joining as our final new member. Simone has recently returned from Executive Support LIVE, Wellington, where she wowed our audience with her signature talk, “The Need for Inclusion”, focusing on the need for equity and inclusion for administrative professionals in their organisations. Her article on the subject is available here.
Finally, I would like to congratulate Dr Sunethra Jayaratne Nugawela, who has been writing for the magazine since 2018 and was awarded the prestigious Dhaa Abhimani (Pride of the Land) by the Village Lanka Association in Sri Lanka for International Women’s Day 2024.
Wishing you all a wonderful Administrative Professionals Week,
Kathleen
